About the Book
Book: The Search for the Shadow Cat
Author: Kurt Mahler
Genre: Magical Realism Fantasy
Release Date: October 20, 2025
Venture into a lush, mystically supercharged natural world where the fate of an entire animal kingdom hangs in the balance in The Search for the Shadow Cat, the captivating third installment of the Jaguar Oracle series.
After a long absence from the Rio Grande Valley, the majestic jaguar named Oracle returns for a perilous quest to restore the three feline tribes—bobcat, ocelot, and long-lost jaguarundi: the “shadow cat.”
With Patch the raccoon, Plod the horse, Bog the toad, and the child named Miracle, Oracle navigates a richly-drawn landscape, pressing through pain and perplexity to rediscover ancient wisdom that will awaken creation, from a jabber of green jays to secretive turtles to trees holding on to treasured knowledge. Along the way, Oracle finds an unexpected ally in a conflicted young entrepreneur, while a hermit holds the key to unlocking the jaguar’s destiny.
Blending magical realism, mythology, and environmental advocacy, this pulse-pounding adventure will captivate readers with its tale of courage, honor, and the power of reclaiming our forgotten roots.
Book Excerpt
Gem shivered as she hovered, her wings carrying her body by way of the blast that bent and blew upon her from behind the suspended mask.
“He did not eat me when he saw me!” Gem said with effort.
“Ha!” spat the spirit. “He was full! He had already eaten. He was biding his time, my dear, biding his time till your guard is down. You know, deep down, that nothing good can come of a cat. They are as ruled by their instincts as you are.
And sooner or later, all the ‘good’ they espouse is swept away to make room for greed. You know this to be true.”
“He was good to me when we met,” protested Gem. “That is all I know.”
The green jay tried to recall her encounter with the jaguar. Doubt gives my memory a beating like these gusts of wind give my body a beating! How confusing! I can’t summon the feelings I knew in the hour of our meeting. Be that as it may, I know without a doubt that I have spoken with the lord of the Valley. And though now all the ethereal colors of that moment fade to monochrome, still, in my heart of hearts, I know I met him.
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About the Author
Kurt helps those who built someone else’s dream finally build their own.
As a speaker, advisor, and award-winning poet, he draws from twenty years of lived experience in forty nations.
He is a sought-after voice on five continents, advising expats in places as challenging as Cuba, Persia, and North Korea. He has published multiple books , hundreds of articles, and well-respected poetry.
Kurt and his wife Karen have been married since 1993 and raised their family in Afghanistan, where they founded a community development agency. They are Americans living in the Emirates with ties to the Gulf Coast, the Rio Grande Valley, Central Texas, Louisiana, and New England.
He writes in the poetic tradition, inspired by the wonder of creation, the mysteries of the Ancient Faith, and the drama of the nations. Guiding sources for his work include the Hebrew prophets, the Desert Fathers, Dante, Milton, George MacDonald, C.S. Lewis, and Tolkien.